Recently there has been increased interest in delivering media content, such as music, to consumers in new ways. For example, online music stores have enabled consumers to purchase music tracks one song or one album at a time. A Digital Rights Management (DRM) digital version of the song is transferred to the consumer, typically over a broadband internet connection, for playback on the consumer's computer or another authorized device such as a portable playback device. One problem with this business model is that consumers are typically only able to sample 30 second sound bites of songs before purchasing. Also, consumers are typically required to know what music they are interested in before they can search for and purchase the music. In other words, this business model is a “pull” system, where the consumer requests the particular song or media file that they want. Client software may make recommendations to consumers to introduce them to new content, but these features are typically rather limited. Furthermore, spontaneously generated broadcast content, such as terrestrial or satellite radio broadcasts, is often more effective at introducing consumers to new music and/or reminding consumers of music they would like to purchase. However, in most cases the consumer is required to remember what they heard on the radio, and search for the desired content the next time they are at a computer.
Another business model works on a subscription basis. Consumers typically pay a monthly subscription, and are entitled to download an unlimited number of DRM-protected songs from a particular vendor's library of media content. These subscription-based songs, however, are typically only playable on the consumer's PC or other authorized device so long as the consumer maintains their subscription. Also, the consumer is typically more limited in what they can do with media content obtained via their subscription. For example, while the subscription holder can normally download an unlimited number of songs, if they want to burn music to a standard CD, they are required to separately purchase the songs they want to burn. Also, the subscription model is a “pull” model, and is subject to the same problems described above with respect to inadequate means to identify new content for download.
More recently, satellite digital audio radio service (SDARS) systems have been introduced to provide consumers with a new way of enjoying music. In an SDARS system, over 100 channels of music, news and other content are streamed via satellite or terrestrial repeater to consumer receivers. The consumers are typically required to maintain a subscription to the SDARS service to receive the SDARS broadcast. Due to the number of channels and the variety of genres available on SDARS systems, consumers have rapidly adopted these services. More recently, personal portable players have been introduced that allow the consumer to use their SDARS receiver in their car, in their home, or even to carry the receiver with them.
There are some known limitations with existing SDARS systems and for-purchase and subscription-based download music services. SDARS portable players have had some capacity to buffer SDARS content in a first-in-first-out (FIFO) manner, and to remember names of artists and/or song titles to assist with later purchase from an online music service. However, by design, such devices have limited the ability of the consumer to permanently save and organize SDARS content. The portable players have a limited capacity for storing SDARS content (such as, for example, five hours of content). The content is typically overwritten in a FIFO manner, unless a particular portion is “locked.” However, locked content reduces the amount of memory remaining for new content to be stored. The FIFO buffer of existing players is mainly intended to be used as a time-shifting device, rather than a permanent storage for music “owned” by the consumer. SDARS devices, by design, do not permit the consumer to transfer stored SDARS content from the portable player to another device. In addition, the stored SDARS content only remains playable while the consumer maintains their subscription with the SDARS service.
Furthermore, if the consumer desires to use both an SDARS system and a digital media player to enjoy their purchased or subscription-based downloaded music, two separate devices are required.
Accordingly, there is a need for a portable SDARS receiver that facilitates the identification and download of purchased or subscription-based media files. Furthermore, there is a need for a more sophisticated manner of interacting with stored SDARS content on a portable player while still preventing the consumer from removing the SDARS content from the device, or otherwise using the stored SDARS content in an unauthorized manner. There is a need for a single portable device, which allows the consumer to store both SDARS content and downloaded purchased or subscription-based music, and to organize playlists comprising both SDARS content and DRM or non-DRM protected media files.